Railway signal-fusee.



J. WEBMANDS. RAILWAY SIGNAL FUSEE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 1914.

Batented July 14,1914.

onrrn sT Us clarion.

JOHN W. EDMANDS, OF NEWTON CENTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CENTRALRAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION orNEW JERSEY.

RAILWAY SIGNAL-FUSEE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July -14, 1914.

Application filed May 5, 1914. Serial No. 836,582 I ing is aspecification, reference being badtherein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in railway signal fusees, and theobject of the invention is to provide a paper or fiber spike holding'end for the fusee tube, the paper head being formed from the wall ofthe paper .tube, thus making the head integral with the tube andproducing a one-piece spike holding fusee tube. 1

Heretofore the common practice of connecting spikes to fusee' tubes isto provide either a wood or metal plug of a size to fit in the end ofthe tube, and the wood-plug carry a separate spike or nail driventherein, and the metal-plug to have a separate 'nail cast therein, or ina few instances, the

spike is cast as a part of the plug. Whether a wood or metal plug isused, the commercial way of holding the plug within the end of the tube'is by means of glue. In this instance the retention of the plug withinthe end of the tube depends upon the glue or holding element, and insome cases, the plug has become separated from the fusee tube, thusleaving open the end of the tube for the burning composition to siftout, which is objectional either in transportation or in use.Furthermore when the plug is lost or detached which forms a closure forone end of the tube, the fusee is not practically capable of use, andhence when the lug closure becomesdetached, the fusee is, fi'oni apractical point of view, destroyed.

My improvement provides a closure and a spike holding head for the fuseetube which is formed from the wall of the tube itself, and therefore,can not become lost or detached, thus overcoming the objections to anddisadvantage of the wood; and metal plug heretofore Used.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure l is a perspective view, of a fuseewith my.

improved spike holding closure. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 1.Figs. 3 and 4 show modifications of my improvement.

My improved, fusee tube closure and spike holder comprises a paper orfiber tube 1 which has one of its end walls crimped, folded andcompressed into a suitable head 2. This head 2 is crimped, folded andcom; pressed around the head-end 3 of the spike 4.

As shown in Fig. 2, the spike is provided with a head 4 and with one ormore cars or shoulders 5 which are formed by pinching the stem of thespike with a suitable tool.

In Fig. 3 I show a spike with its end 4? made in the form of a hook, andin Fig.4 the head-end of the spike'is made approximately S-shaped asshown at 4. The burning composition 6 is packed in the fusee in theusual manner.

In attaching the spike in my'improved spike holding head, the spike issupported by asuitable tool in position to have the extendingend wall ofthe tube 1 crimped and folded inward and compressed around the headofthe spike by a suitably constructed rotating tool. The form of tool usedis made the subject matterof a se arate application, the invention heresoug t to be protectedis the crimping and folding inward of one end ofthe wall of the fusee tube around the head or inner end of the spike toconnect the spike to the fusee tube. This crimping, folding inward, andpressing may be done either before or after the burning composition 6has been placed in the tube.

There has been no attempt to show all of the various'forms andmodifications of the construction of the head-end of the spike becausethis may vary without departing from the spirit and scope of myimprovement, and

in fact, the inner end of the spike might be headless and without anyshoulders or projections, though preferably it is roughened, headed ortwisted to more effectively lock it within the crimped, folded andcompressed head ofthe tube.

The illustrations herein are only a few of the mechanical expressions ofthe inventive idea here sought to be protected, and is not intended toprescribe the limits of the invention. I wish it also to be understoodthat the improvement is applicable to fireworks, torches, etc., Where apaper tube is used, and it is desired to attach a spike thereto forsupporting the device in an upright position While it is burning.

. Having thus described my invention what- I claim and desire to secureby Letters Pat-- cut is:

1. A device of the character described.

comprising a fiber tube having one of its end walls crimped, folded andcompressed inward around and embracing the inner end of a spike. I I

2. A device of the character described, comprising a fiber tube havingone end Wall crimped and folded inward and compressed, and a spikehaving its inner end embedded gitlln the crimped, folded and compressedea I 3. A- device of the character described, comprising a fiber tubeand aspike for one end thereof, the end wall of the tube crimped andfolded inward and compressed around the inner end of the spike, theinner end of said spike provided with lateral portions thereto.

4'. A device of the character described, comprising a fiber tube, aspike having a head, one end wall of the tube crimped and folded inwardand compressed around the head of'the spike in uniting the latter to thetu e. y In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in thepresence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. EDMANDS.

Witnesses:

ROBERT M. C ARK,

ARNOLD MACKINTOBH.

